EPS represents a new network security product as an infrastructure “patch” for protecting the most critical and valuable digital assets against AETs

Stonesoft Press Release, Helsinki, Finland — July 24, 2012 — Stonesoft today announced a new security product. With the launch of a standalone product license for its new Evasion Prevention System (EPS), Stonesoft empowers organizations with an easy and effective way to mitigate the risk of advanced evasion techniques (AETs) and to address security gaps in identifying and eliminating cyber-attacks using AETs. The product provides an additional security layer to existing, AET vulnerable next generation firewalls (NGFW), intrusion prevention systems (IPS) and unified threat management (UTM) devices.

AETs have since been acknowledged as a serious threat by the security community, including experts from the leading analyst firms, test labs and academics. AETs are defined as any evasive network hacking technique that allows an intruder to bypass security detection during a network-based attack. They were discovered and announced to the industry by Stonesoft in 2010.

Despite the rising concern, only a few security vendors have built adequate AET prevention features into their network security products to counter these sophisticated attack methods, leaving businesses and government agencies at risk.

The Stonesoft EPS is a new, purpose- designed and modular network security product. It is provided as a standalone product license and can be deployed within any non-Stonesoft security infrastructure. The product is dedicated to protecting against AETs and has been successfully tested against more than 800 million advanced evasion techniques and their dynamic combinations. The EPS works as an infrastructure “patch” to mitigate that existing AET vulnerability. It is essential for those organizations that consider themselves a priority target for advanced cyber criminals, hackers and hacktivists.

“The majority of IPS, UTM and next generation firewall products fail tests when faced with AETs, leaving open holes for hackers,” said Ilkka Hiidenheimo, founder and CEO of Stonesoft. “As more organizations experience serious security breaches, it’s clear that the existing combination of incomplete IPS and firewalls are not enough.”

“With business data and systems, SCADA networks, homeland security and critical infrastructure on the line, it’s time that the security industry provided organizations with a tool that addresses AETs in a cost-effective way“, Hiidenheimo continues. “Our EPS product doesn’t require a rip and replace of existing investments, making AET security possible for any organization.”

The Stonesoft EPS is based on a unique, full-stack, multilayer normalization technology, data stream based inspection/detection process and vulnerability based signatures. The product also flags, logs and reports the evasion anomalies that are found.

Stonesoft is demonstrating how the Stonesoft EPS blocks AETs in Las Vegas during the Black Hat event this week, at booth 213. The company is demonstrating and providing free copies of its Evader tool for testing a controlled set of evasive techniques that have proven successful against all major IPS and NGFW.

Stonesoft serves private and public sector organizations requiring high availability, ease of management, compliance, dynamic security and protection of their critical digital assets and business continuity against today’s rapidly evolving cyber threats. Stonesoft is a recognized researcher of advanced evasion techniques (AETs) used in targeted cyber attacks to bypass network security.

Stonesoft has the highest customer retention rate in the industry due to low TCO, ease of management, and overall customer excellence. Stonesoft’s customer base covers more than 6,500 mid or large-sized organizations across various industries and geographical markets.

Founded in 1990, the company’s track record is well recognized by certifiers, industry analysts and demanding customers. The company’s corporate headquarters are based in Helsinki, Finland and North American headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. For more information visit www.stonesoft.com.